Nanning - Hanoi Up I got. I had to let a couple into the hostel as they had arrived early and the owner was not back yet, even though it was about 8.30! The girls joined me downstairs at 9.00 and we went out the the main street. We found it suprisingly easy to hail a cab and were at the bus station by quarter past. A brief faff about to find the gate and then sorted. The bus came, we got on, simples. It stopped a couple of times on the approach to the border an...

Yangshuo to Nanning I was glad of my early night when I got up at 6.45. I tiptoed around the room trying not to wake anyone and made my way out toward the bus station. Yangshuo was almost deserted, all the shops were closed and only the odd local restaurant was taking customers. I tried my luck in one such eatery near the bus station and had to point at the pictures on the wall to get anything. It was very basic, noodle soup, but filling enough and very cheap of...

Yangshuo Day 9 I had a couple of meat filled dough dumplings for breakfast, which I ate down by the river. They really are quite tasty, filling, and for Y1 each, good value. Returning to the hostel, I met Ada using the internet and we decided to go and hire a couple of bikes together. At least once we had managed to buy here some medicine for her alarming chest infection! I was impressed that she wanted to be so active. We cycled out of town along the Yulong a...

Yangshuo Day 8 I managed to sleep well and took my time packing up and moving hostel yet again. It turned out to be third time lucky. A clean room on the 4th floor, with a window and an excellent view. The room was empty when I arrived an all the beds used, so I just left my bag next to a bed and headed off for breakfast at nearby 'Cafe China'. Thankfully the holiday was now over and the town was much much quieter. It was lovely to be able to walk down the main...

Yangshuo Day 7 I had a terrible night's sleep :-( The girls were up at 5.45 and left at 6.15. The rock climbing was due to start at 8.30, so I tried to get a bit more sleep, but only managed a little. The room was next to the kitchen of the resteraunt next door and it was really noisy. I could hear every word and every bang and crash. Anyway, I pulled myself out of bed. I was really looking forward to the climbing and the weather was great again so that served ...